Compressor for use in a vehicle

Abstract

A compressor for use in a vehicle includes a mechanical compression mechanism including a first casing and a drive shaft. The first casing has therein a first suction chamber and a first discharge chamber. The drive shaft is rotatably supported by the first casing and mechanically driven by a drive source for compression of refrigerant. The compressor further includes a linear electric compression mechanism including a second casing and a piston. The second casing has therein a second suction chamber and a second discharge chamber. The piston is reciprocally movable in the second casing and driven by electromagnetic force for compression of refrigerant. The first casing is integrated with the second casing so as to allow at least one of fluid communication between the first suction chamber and the second suction chamber and between the first discharge chamber and the second discharge chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor for use in a vehicle, comprising:
 a mechanical compression mechanism including a first casing and a drive shaft, the first casing having therein a first suction chamber and a first discharge chamber, the drive shaft being rotatably supported by the first casing and mechanically driven by a drive source for compression of refrigerant; and   a linear electric compression mechanism including a second casing and a piston, the second casing having therein a second suction chamber and a second discharge chamber, the piston being reciprocally movable in the second casing and driven by electromagnetic force for compression of refrigerant,   wherein the first casing is integrated with the second casing so as to allow at least one of fluid communication between the first suction chamber and the second suction chamber and between the first discharge chamber and the second discharge chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet port for discharging refrigerant out of the compressor, wherein the outlet port communicates with the first discharge chamber and the second discharge chamber so that the outlet port is shared by the mechanical compression mechanism and the linear electric compression mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , further comprising an inlet port for introducing refrigerant into the compressor, wherein the inlet port communicates with the first suction chamber and the second suction chamber so that the inlet port is shared by the mechanical compression mechanism and the linear electric compression mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the first casing includes a first housing in which the first suction chamber is located in a position axially extended from the end of the drive shaft and the first discharge chamber is located radially outward of the first suction chamber,
 wherein the second casing is formed by a second housing and a pair of end plates, the second housing is formed therethrough with a cylinder bore in which the piston is reciprocally movable, the end plates are mounted to opposite ends of the second housing, valve units are held between the cylinder bore and the respective end plates, the piston in the cylinder bore cooperates with the respective valve units to form compression chambers therebetween, a permanent magnet is provided in the piston, a coil is provided in the second housing so as to generate electromagnetic force acting on the permanent magnet, the piston includes a piston rod and a pair of piston heads, the piston heads are provided at opposite ends of the piston rod, the second suction chamber is located between the piston heads, the second discharge chamber is located at each end of the second housing,   wherein the first housing is integrated with the second housing so that the axis of the drive shaft is perpendicular to the axis of the piston rod.   
     
     
         5 . The compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the second housing includes a shell where the coil is received, the shell being integrated with the first housing. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the second discharge chamber is formed between the valve unit and the end plate and communicates with the first discharge chamber in facing relation to each other through a passage, the second suction chamber communicates with the first suction chamber in facing relation to each other through a communication hole. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the first casing includes a cylinder block rotatably supporting the drive shaft and a first housing in which the first suction chamber is located in a position axially extended from the end of the drive shaft and the first discharge chamber is located radially outward of the first suction chamber,
 wherein the second casing is formed by a second housing and a pair of end plates, the second housing is formed therethrough with a cylinder bore in which the piston is reciprocally movable, the end plates are mounted to opposite ends of the second housing, valve units are held between the cylinder bore and the respective end plates, the piston in the cylinder bore cooperates with the respective valve units to form compression chambers therebetween, a permanent magnet is provided in the piston, a coil is provided in the second housing so as to generate electromagnetic force acting on the permanent magnet, the piston includes a piston rod and a pair of piston heads, the piston heads are provided at opposite ends of the piston rod, the second suction chamber is located between the piston heads, the second discharge chamber is located at each end of the second housing,   wherein the cylinder block is integrated with the second housing so that the axis of the drive shaft is parallel to the axis of the piston rod.   
     
     
         8 . The compressor according to  claim 7 , wherein the second housing is located radially outward of the cylinder block, one of the end plates is integrated with the first casing, and the other end plate is integrated with the first housing. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the diameter of the piston rod is smaller than that of the piston heads, the second housing has a spring seat in the cylinder bore, and coil springs are provided between the spring seat and the respective piston heads in the cylinder bore. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor according to  claim 9 , wherein part of the second suction chamber is formed by a space where the coil springs are accommodated.